Toggle handle for an appliance

Abstract

A method for operating a refrigerator appliance includes operating a dispenser of the refrigerator appliance to initiate a flow of liquid water or ice into a container positioned within a dispensing recess of the dispenser in response to a user input at a user input panel of the refrigerator appliance, receiving one or more signals from a sensor positioned at the dispensing recess after operating the dispenser to initiate the flow of liquid water or ice into the dispensing recess, and detecting a presence of the container in the dispensing recess based at least in part on the one or more signals from the sensor only after operating the dispenser to initiate the flow of liquid water or ice into the dispensing recess. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet; 
 a door mounted to the cabinet, the door configured for permitting selective access to a chamber of the cabinet; 
 a pair of studs positioned on the door; and 
 a handle assembly comprising
 an elongated handle extending between a first end portion and a second end portion, 
 a pair of end caps, each of the first and second end portions of the elongated handle received within a respective one of the pair of end caps, and 
 a pair of plungers, each of the pair of plungers slidably received within a respective one of the pair of end caps, 
 wherein each of the pair of plungers is manually slidable relative to the respective one of the pair of end caps between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the pair of plungers interfering with the pair of studs on the door in the engaged configuration, and 
 wherein a first one of the pair of plungers defines a hole and a slot, the hole positioned such that a first one of the pair of studs is positioned at the hole in the disengaged configuration, a width of the hole sized such that the width of the hole is greater than a width of the first one of the pair of studs, the slot positioned such that the first one of the pair of studs is positioned at the slot in the engaged configuration, the slot positioned contiguous with the hole, a width of the slot sized such that the width of the slot is less than the width of the first one of the pair of studs. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the pair of plungers defines a U-shaped engagement surface at the slot, the U-shaped engagement surface tapered at an angle with respect to a plane of the slot, and the angle is no greater than forty-five degrees. 
     
     
       3. The appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the first one of the pair of studs comprises a frustoconical body seated on the U-shaped engagement surface in the engaging configuration. 
     
     
       4. The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the first one of the pair of studs is a metal stud, and the first one of the pair of plungers is a plastic plunger. 
     
     
       5. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a second one of the pair of plungers defines a hole and a slot, the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers positioned such that a second one of the pair of studs is positioned at the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers in the disengaged configuration, a width of the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers sized such that the width of the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers is greater than a width of the second one of the pair of studs, the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers positioned such that the second one of the pair of studs is positioned at the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers in the engaged configuration, the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers positioned contiguous with the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers, a width of the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers sized such that the width of the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers is less than the width of the second one of the pair of studs. 
     
     
       6. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is positioned proximate an outer surface of a first one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration, an end face of a second one of the pair of plungers is positioned proximate an outer surface of a second one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration, and the end face of the first one of the pair of plungers faces the end face of the second one of the pair of plungers. 
     
     
       7. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is positioned proximate an outer surface of a first one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration, and a surface area of the end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is no less than three centimeters squared. 
     
     
       8. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is positioned flush with an outer surface of a first one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration. 
     
     
       9. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is a first color, and a portion of the first one of the pair of plungers directly below the end face is a second, different color. 
     
     
       10. A handle assembly for an appliance, comprising:
 a pair of studs; 
 an elongated handle extending between a first end portion and a second end portion; 
 a pair of end caps, each of the first and second end portions of the elongated handle received within a respective one of the pair of end caps; and 
 a pair of plungers, each of the pair of plungers slidably received within a respective one of the pair of end caps, 
 wherein each of the pair of plungers is manually slidable relative to the respective one of the pair of end caps between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the pair of plungers interfering with the pair of studs in the engaged configuration, and 
 wherein a first one of the pair of plungers defines a hole and a slot, the hole positioned such that a first one of the pair of studs is positioned at the hole in the disengaged configuration, a width of the hole sized such that the width of the hole is greater than a width of the first one of the pair of studs, the slot positioned such that the first one of the pair of studs is positioned at the slot in the engaged configuration, the slot positioned contiguous with the hole, a width of the slot sized such that the width of the slot is less than the width of the first one of the pair of studs. 
 
     
     
       11. The handle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first one of the pair of plungers defines a U-shaped engagement surface at the slot, the U-shaped engagement surface tapered at an angle with respect to a plane of the slot, and the angle is no greater than forty-five degrees. 
     
     
       12. The handle assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first one of the pair of studs comprises a frustoconical body seated on the U-shaped engagement surface in the engaging configuration. 
     
     
       13. The handle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first one of the pair of studs is a metal stud, and the first one of the pair of plungers is a plastic plunger. 
     
     
       14. The handle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein a second one of the pair of plungers defines a hole and a slot, the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers positioned such that a second one of the pair of studs is positioned at the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers in the disengaged configuration, a width of the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers sized such that the width of the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers is greater than a width of the second one of the pair of studs, the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers positioned such that the second one of the pair of studs is positioned at the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers in the engaged configuration, the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers positioned contiguous with the hole of the second one of the pair of plungers, a width of the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers sized such that the width of the slot of the second one of the pair of plungers is less than the width of the second one of the pair of studs. 
     
     
       15. The handle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is positioned proximate an outer surface of a first one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration, an end face of a second one of the pair of plungers is positioned proximate an outer surface of a second one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration, and the end face of the first one of the pair of plungers faces the end face of the second one of the pair of plungers. 
     
     
       16. The handle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is positioned proximate an outer surface of a first one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration, and a surface area of the end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is no less than three centimeters squared. 
     
     
       17. The handle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is positioned flush with an outer surface of a first one of the pair of end caps in the engaged configuration. 
     
     
       18. The handle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein an end face of a first one of the pair of plungers is a first color, and a portion of the first one of the pair of plungers directly below the end face is a second, different color.